I've had an idea for making a Monastic Order based off of the D&D 3.5 PrC Fist of the Forest (thematically, Monks who are very in-tune with nature or maybe started off as feral children and were later taken in by a monk monastery), and I was thinking it would be cool if I could convert and retool it in a way that would be more usable and balanced for 5e. While I have a mind for fluff and conceptual work, I sorely lack in knowing what is balanced or weak/powerful as far as class abilities go. I'm thinking for the Monastic Order, the Monk would be able to take on certain aspects of beasts and monstrosities at the cost of ki.

The thing is I don't know how much any of these abilities would or should cost numerically, and was looking for help in this regard. I also looked at the Order of the Four Elements monk as to how it handled a series of abilities, but those powers are based off of spells and levels, not creature abilities. Something I noticed though was that all the Order of the Four Elements subclass had to it were the ki-powered spells, and no other "class abilities" gained as one leveled. Would it be too strong to give the Monk a toolbox like I have in mind as well as class abilities at appropriate levels?

Here are the rough notes and ideas I've put down in regards to what I want this Homebrew subclass to do.

You can shape your body to gain attributes akin to beasts and monstrosities, spending ki points to do so.

Expertise in Animal Handling, may now use animal handling checks against monstrosities of 7 intelligence or less that cannot speak a language.

Amnoriath

2018-06-28, 09:30 AM

I've had an idea for making a Monastic Order based off of the D&D 3.5 PrC Fist of the Forest (thematically, Monks who are very in-tune with nature or maybe started off as feral children and were later taken in by a monk monastery), and I was thinking it would be cool if I could convert and retool it in a way that would be more usable and balanced for 5e. While I have a mind for fluff and conceptual work, I sorely lack in knowing what is balanced or weak/powerful as far as class abilities go. I'm thinking for the Monastic Order, the Monk would be able to take on certain aspects of beasts and monstrosities at the cost of ki.

The thing is I don't know how much any of these abilities would or should cost numerically, and was looking for help in this regard. I also looked at the Order of the Four Elements monk as to how it handled a series of abilities, but those powers are based off of spells and levels, not creature abilities. Something I noticed though was that all the Order of the Four Elements subclass had to it were the ki-powered spells, and no other "class abilities" gained as one leveled. Would it be too strong to give the Monk a toolbox like I have in mind as well as class abilities at appropriate levels?

Here are the rough notes and ideas I've put down in regards to what I want this Homebrew subclass to do.

You can shape your body to gain attributes akin to beasts and monstrosities, spending ki points to do so.

Expertise in Animal Handling, may now use animal handling checks against monstrosities of 7 intelligence or less that cannot speak a language.
Well, a couple things to keep in mind when constructing this.
1. The Totem Barbarian does this thematically when borrowing off of animals.
2. The Four Elements Monk is considered weak because all of its battle options cost multiple ki points.
3. The Fist of the Forest has an affinity to the natural world, not so much animals themselves.
With this being said the Fist of tje Forest will be a straight forward build. A rage like ability that gives you temporary hit points and adds damage to unarmed strikes as well as adjusting damage type that is once per short or long rest. You then can have a couple low level innate utility spells that use ki. Then the class could get some environment ribbons. At level 11 would be a Retaliation ability except with unarmed strikes. At level 17 is really up to you at point, probably ki based strong melee based control.

Nifft

2018-06-28, 11:38 AM

Yeah I came here to suggest Barbarian as the base class for Fist of the Forest, in part because of the 3.5e FotF prereq ("Rage or Frenzy"), in part because the Con to AC is already baked into Barbarian.

If you're not happy with re-flavoring the existing Totem subclass, then a Barbarian subclass might look like...

Primal Path - Path of the Green Fist

Martial Arts
At 3rd level, you learn the primal martial arts of claw and fang. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 damage (this improves with your Barbarian level). When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a greatsword, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.

Primal Living
Also at 3rd level, whenever you are not in a city or civilized area, you make Handle Animal (Wisdom) and Athletics (Strength) checks with advantage.

Feral Trance
Also at 6th level, when you enter a Rage your hands and feet become beastly claws. Your unarmed strikes can deal slashing or piercing damage (at your option) instead of bludgeoning. Furthermore, while in a Rage your heightened feral instincts give you a +2 bonus to AC.

Scent
At 10th level, your connection with nature allows you to detect scent like a wolf. You gain advantage on Perception (Wisdom) and Survival (Wisdom) checks, and you can identify people you know by scent.

This ability doesn't work if you are in an area with overwhelming scents (at a busy spice market, seated in a crowded arena, next to the rotting corpse of a dragon beset by savanna scavengers, visiting a slaughterhouse and sausage-making facility, etc.).

Fury of Blows
Also at 10th level, your unarmed strikes deal 1d8 damage. When you are in a Rage and you use the Attack action on your turn, you can make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.

Master of Forest Flowers
At 14th level, you are in harmony with nature: you can't be poisoned, you're immune to disease, and you gain resistance to Poison damage.